Dark to Light
by LunaV-chan
Summary: You're dark and cold, and you yearn for her in your life day after day. Yet you know that she will never notice you. She is light, free, full of life...... and you are dark.
1. Chapter 1

(I know that I'm still working on "Storms Upon the Heart", but I'm close to finishing it, so I thought I would start on this new project as well as trying to pick up "Secret Cupid" again... this is an old idea that I completely forgot about until I found a rough draft lying in an old notebook. So I'm going to try this and see what becomes of it.)

Dark to Light

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Chapter One

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You find yourself sitting in a local café in your usual booth, sipping your usual cup of coffee: black, strong, no sugar, and no cream. You're thinking about your future, about what is ahead of you. You're not worrying about your career, no, of course not… that's settled. You're studying and working hard to become the doctor you've always dreamed of being. You're not worried about your friends. You have a wonderful best friend, who's always there for you, and many other friends who are fun to be around.

What you are worried about is… why was the last date you went on six months ago? And why was it a blind date that a friend forced you into, no less, which went so terribly wrong that you found yourself praying for it to be over… only fifteen minutes into the movie?

After that disaster, you watched your best friend find the love of his life and get married. You were there, of course, as the best man. At the reception, every woman was giving you the 'eye' and wondering where your date was. You danced with only your best friend's new bride and his sister, and did not venture out to meet anyone new. Why? Because at the time, you didn't care. Dating, love, marriage: none of that really mattered to you.

But now, you're sitting alone and watching a couple at the booth across from you flirting and nuzzling noses over coffee. You stir your own coffee miserably, wondering what it's really like to be in love.

But what really brought about this change of events? What really made you look at love for the first time and beg for it?

She did.

The one girl that could change your mind about dating, love, marriage, soul mates, sappy holidays, pointless gifts, nuzzling, flirting, kissing, cuddling by a fire… and now you can't get your mind off of her.

You try.

You pick up a newspaper only to sigh with frustration and put it down again.

There's no point. You know you're going to sit in this booth and conjure up an image of her face in your mind. You're going to outline each lovely feature… the deep blue of her eyes, the way her smile lights up her entire face, the natural pink of her cheeks, her small nose scrunching up in concentration… the soft look of happiness that seems to always be there, as if she's always waiting to be kissed by a handsome prince.

You frown now as you think about who could be her handsome prince. Did she have one? You know she's the kind of girl who is infatuated with the thoughts of romance… and she is beautiful, so there's no doubt in your mind that she has someone.

You sigh, tuck your newspaper under your arm, leave a tip, and leave the café. Walking outside, the bright sunshine hits your skin and you feel like a vampire released into the light before you adjust to the brightness.

You laugh at this analogy. How can you even be thinking of wanting an angel of light when it seems to you that you have a likeness to a vampire? Why would she ever want a dark, gloomy man who hides in dark cafés and quiet libraries under mountains of books when she loves the brightness of life and everything in it?

Accustomed to sighing, you heave another one and continue your way down the sidewalk, heading home to a night of quiet contemplation… most of which you know you will spend thinking about her.

Now you're staring down at the pavement in front of you, your hands in your khaki pants pockets. The dark green jacket and black sweater you're wearing seem to reiterate the idea that you are dark, and you smile wryly.

You enter your apartment building and head towards the stairs, deciding against the laziness an elevator would provide. You walk slowly up, moving the muscles in your legs as if it's the only workout you ever get, even though you spent an hour in a gym this morning. Reaching your floor, you make your way down the carpeted hallway to your plain green door, slip the key in the lock, enter your dismal, bleak home, and collapse on your expensive sofa. Running a hand through your black bangs, you stare up at the ceiling and wonder if there is any way you could change. If she would notice you if you changed. If you were more… light instead of dark.

If you weren't so… quiet, she might look at you differently. She might actually notice that you're not the brooding man in the back of the café, but that you're fun and loving, and that you only want to make her the happiest girl alive.

Your mind races, trying to figure out how to achieve this, but you decide, as a wave of exhaustion hits you, that you will have to decide later what to do, and a small smile plays on your face as you slip into sleep.

For now, you only want the comfort of an afternoon nap, a pleasure you rarely have the time for.

And while you sleep, the small, blinking light in your heart that yearns for her becomes slightly brighter as the thoughts of being her love seem just a small step closer.

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End Chapter One

(Weelll….anybody have any thoughts? Is this a good or bad idea? Should I drop it and run or go with it? Oh, and I promise this will not be totally 2nd person… lol, no way could I do that.)


	2. Chapter 2

Dark to Light

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Chapter Two

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The morning sun streams brightly through the window, and you awake with a start. You blink. You're disoriented, and your dark blue eyes are still heavy with sleep. You gaze around the room and see the clock your friend Motoki gave you for Christmas. It reads seven o'clock a.m. Your sighing starts again, and you beat your head against the back of the couch. It is very unlike you to pass out. You decide that napping is not an option ever again. Look where it has led you. You spend the night passed out on your couch. You know that your back is going to pay. How could you do it, you ask yourself.

You push yourself up off the couch, and you dash to the bathroom for a quick shower. You're relieved that you didn't sleep late, because at least you'll get to class on time, even if you did sleep when you should have been studying. You quickly wash, dress, and grab your car keys. You lock the door to your apartment, and rush out. Taking the stairs again, you run down them, two steps at a time. Reaching the front door of the complex, you push it open and you're greeted by the early morning sunshine. It's bright and beautiful out, and you scowl. The morning is the exact opposite of the mood you're in.

And then it happens.

You're walking down the street to your parking complex, where you keep your precious car, when a blonde girl in a pink dress collides with you head-on, and you both fall backward to the ground.

"Oh my God!" She yells, scrambling up and grabbing the books she dropped. She looks at you with bright blue eyes and a very timid smile. "I am SO sorry!"

You stand up and brush off your pants, giving her a hand up. "It's alright." You say, feeling as if there is a brick in your stomach. You're surprised that you were even able to croak out a response. You're feeling like an idiot, and you're hoping that it doesn't show.

She shakes her head furiously. "No, really, this is what, the fourth time that I've run into you like this?"

The seventh, actually. You've counted.

"Really, let me make this up to you. Do you know where the Crown arcade is? Can I buy you a milkshake or something? I'm so sorry that this keeps happening. I'm such a klutz." She puts a hand to her face and giggles.

Meanwhile, your eyes are glazed over and you're entranced with the beauty before you. You've never actually had a conversation with her before. Usually, you run into her everyday, and she says "I'm so sorry!" and then rushes off. You wonder what made her stop today.

She's looking at you oddly, and she waves a hand in front of your face. "Hello? Are you in there?"

You snap back to reality, finally. "Oh, yes… yes, I know where it is. I have a friend who works there. He's… he's the manager, actually."

Now you feel stupid. Why, you don't know. You just do.

Recognition hits her. "You know Motoki-kun!"

You blink. "Well… yeah. He's… he's a good friend of mine."

She puts a hand on her hip and nods. "Yeah… he's mentioned you! Are you Mamoru?"

You blink again. You're going to kill Motoki, you decide. "Yes… I am."

She smiles and sticks out her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mamoru! I'm Usagi… I'm a friend of Motoki and Minako's."

Minako is Motoki's wife, the blonde sprite of a girl who's always talking. You find her annoying, but you never said anything to Motoki about it.

"Oh… it's nice to meet you, too, Usagi."

Finally. You know her name. She is so beautiful.

She smiles again. You wish you had a camera.

"Well, can I treat you to a milkshake or a coffee or something?" She giggles. "I have to get to class at the moment, but how about…" She glances at her pink wristwatch. "Ten o'clock?"

You think. You'll be out of class at nine. "I would love to." You croak.

Her face lights up. "Great! Finally, I get to find out about the dark, mysterious best friend of Motoki. He talks about you all the time, you know." She laughs, and you wish ever more to kill Motoki. You're thinking up murder plans as she babbles.

"Isn't it true you were the best man at the wedding? Wow, it was a beautiful event, wasn't it? I was there, of course… but I don't remember seeing you."

That's because you mostly hid in the corner. You don't even remember seeing her there. Most likely because you stared at your feet, or at a wall, the entire time.

You hate weddings.

"Well, of course, I suppose that was because I was so busy. I was Minako's maid of honor… I had so much to do!" She giggles again, and you realize you're going to be late for class.

Thankfully, she realizes the same. "Oh, no, I have to get going! I'm going to be late! Madame Birschoff will be SO upset." She rolls her eyes. "Fashion designers. Really. I'll see you at ten, Mamoru!" She smiles and brushes past you, picking up speed and sprinting away on her short heels.

So she's taking classes from a fashion designer. After class, and before you kill him, you're going to ask about her from Motoki.

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Motoki is wiping down the counter, a job of his that has become more of a ritual, when you enter the arcade. You have fifteen minutes before Usagi arrives, and your stomach is churning in anticipation.

You sit down at the counter, and Motoki grins at you. "Hey, man."

"I'm going to kill you."

He laughs. "Why?"

"I met Usagi this morning."

"Oh, I see. So?"

"She told me you talk about me."

"So? I just told her what a great guy you are." He hits your arm playfully, grinning that witty grin of his. You suddenly wish you were more like him. He's a great guy, an all-around perfect kind of guy. He's good-looking, funny, outgoing, and always happy. It really makes you sick how very different you are.

"What all did you tell her?"

"Oh, just the normal things people talk about. She just asked about my best friend, since you know… she's Minako's. She wonders why you're never around."

"And you told her?"

"You're busy with school, and you don't like social events. That IS why you hid at the wedding?"

You cringe. He knows you too well.

"Well, anyways, what's the big deal?"

"She ran into me this morning." Oh, no… you feel your face turning red. "She asked me to have coffee with her, since she's…well… ran into me several times."

"Several, huh?"

"Eight now, actually."

"Huh… dude, is it just me, or are you blushing?"

Shit.

He laughs. "Oh, I get it. Finally, Chiba Mamoru breaks. Twenty-four years old, and finally, he likes a girl. Well, I couldn't be happier for you, man." He hits your arm again. "Usa's a great girl. She's the same age as Mina, I think… wait, she's a little older, by a year, I think. Yeah, that's right. She's a year ahead of her in their fashion school. Supposedly, Usagi's on her way to becoming the next star in the fashion designing world." He shrugs. "What do I know, right?"

Minako… Minako is twenty. So Usagi is twenty-one. Twenty-one years old, and studying to be a fashion designer.

It's easy to learn things from Motoki. He's the male equivalent to a girl gossip.

"So you're meeting her here?"

"Yep." You say, staring off into the oblivion.

"Cool. Gonna ask her out?"

You blink back to reality and look at him. And the stuttering starts. "W-w-what?"

"Dude, ask her out. Come on."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I can't."

"Why not?"

"I'm not you, Motoki."

"Duh. At least I talk to people."

"Very funny."

"It was meant to be."

You sigh and look down at the counter. "I just can't. Yeah, okay, I'll admit it, I really like her… I've liked her for a while, actually." You grin wryly. "I didn't even know her name until today. But she would never have me."

"Why not? You're a great guy!"

You laugh sardonically. "Yeah, right. I'm not the kind of guy she would go for."

The sliding doors to the arcade swish open and you hear heels clicking behind you. The hair on the back of your neck stands up and you know it's her.

"Moto! Whatcha doin'?"

"Hey, Usa-chan. How are you today?"

"Good, good." Usagi comes up and sits by you at the bar, crossing her legs. The skirt she's wearing becomes even shorter. "Hey, Mamoru! How are ya?"

Red is creeping into your face again. "Fine, thank you."

Motoki is giving you a look. You clear your throat and he rolls his eyes. He turns to Usagi. "Usagi-chan, are you coming to dinner tonight?"

"Yep. I promised, didn't I?"

"Thanks." You look at your best friend, and notice the pained look on his face.

"What's wrong?" You ask.

He looks down sheepishly. "Minako's going to try cooking again tonight. The last time she did that I got food poisoning. I asked Usagi to help her. I'm too busy to get sick."

You choke on a laugh. Minako is a real idiot, you know.

Usagi tilts her head to the side. "So what are you and Mina-chan gonna do for V day? Won't it be your one month anniversary, too?"

Motoki grins. "Yeah, it will be. Valentine 's Day is special to her, too. I'm not sure yet what I'll do. I have to come up with something big, though." He laughs. "She expects it."

You frown. "That's not really right."

They both look at you.

You clear your throat. "Well, I mean… perhaps Minako is just… an eccentric girl, but… isn't it the thought that counts? Just that you tried to make it special for her? It shouldn't matter the size of the gift."

Usagi nods. "Mmm, I agree with you, Mamoru-san."

The '-san' is killing you.

She continues. "The best V day gift I ever got was from a boy who had this huge crush on me… he bought me a pink rose with all of his allowance. It was the sweetest thing."

Motoki grins. "How old were you, Usa?"

She laughs. "I was ten, living in Germany with my aunt for the year. Who would have thought the Germans were so sweet?"

"You've lived in Germany?" You ask.

She nods. "Yep. Germany, England, France, Italy, and Sweden… well, Sweden for like a month. My father was an army man. We traveled a lot. My parents are in Belize right now."

"Cool." Motoki says.

You laugh at him. He punches your arm again. Usagi grins.

You glance down at your watch and notice you need to be going. Your tour of the hospital where you'll be interning is in half an hour, and it's a twenty minute drive. You frown.

"I have to go." You say, sighing while you stand.

Usagi pouts. "Aw, I didn't get to buy ya coffee."

You wonder why she's so grammatically incorrect. If it were anyone else, it would bother you.

"Maybe next time?" You say, smiling.

"Oh, yeah, that's right, you have that hospital thing today, right?" Motoki waves a hand in your face.

You nod. "That's right."

"Hey, come to dinner tonight, if you can bear Minako's cooking."

You cringe. "Um…"

"Okay, okay, I get it. No it is."

Usagi touches your arm, and you become jelly. "Oh, please Mamoru? Don't leave me with the lovey-dovey birds. They're sick sometimes."

She removes her hand and you start to breathe again. "Oh… well… I'll try."

She smiles brightly. "Great!"

You wave to them both and leave, wishing you could change the date so you wouldn't have had to leave Usagi's company.

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Usagi watched as the man left the arcade, and then she turned to her friend. "He's so quiet."

"Yep, that's Mamoru." Motoki began to wipe down the counter again.

"He seems really sweet, though."

"Uh-huh."

"Why's he got to go to the hospital?"

"He's interning there soon, and he's taking the tour today."

"A medical student, eh?"

"Yup."

"Ah, now I get it! He's the shy, nerdy kind!"

"I guess you could say that…" Motoki looked at Usagi oddly.

"He certainly doesn't look the nerdy type." She said, mostly to herself. "He's gorgeous."

"Uh… right. Are you crushing on him or what?" Now he was interested.

"Hmm… perhaps. He is cute." She giggled and hopped off the stool, straightening her pink checked skirt. "I'll see ya tonight at dinner, Moto. Bye-bye!"

She twirled around and left the arcade.

Motoki grinned and thought up the possibilities. Mamoru and Usagi.

The sound of the name even had a ring to it.

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End Chapter Two


	3. Chapter 3

Dark to Light

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Chapter Three

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I walked inside my apartment at a quarter till six, hearing the banging of pots and pans in the kitchen. I cringed. I love my wife, I do. I love her with all my heart, but I'm not exaggerating when I say that she is the worst, and I mean the worst, cook on the planet. I was so very, very thankful that Usagi-chan had promised to come over and help with dinner. Without her, I might be spending a few nights in the hospital.

"Mina, darling? I'm home." I said, dropping my books on the couch before striding into the kitchen, where Minako was busily chopping a carrot.

She looked up and grinned, and then turned back to her task. "Hey, hon. How was work? And class?"

"Work was the same. Class was the same. Oh, but Mamoru and Usagi have finally met. Usagi's still coming over for dinner, and Mamoru may be coming too."

"Oh, really? That's great! Did they hit it off?"

"Well, I know that Mamoru is already in love with Usa, even though he barely knows her. I've never seen him act that way around any girl. Ever." I walked up to a steaming pot of… something, and took a tentative sniff.

And then I took another sniff. And another.

"Mina, what is this?"

"Veggie soup. You like?"

"It smells wonderful!" I'm not kidding. It really did smell great. The taste was the only question.

She beamed and turned around, wiping her hands on her pink apron. "I'm glad. I've worked hard on it all day." She came up to me and pecked my lips. "Usa and Mamoru would make such a cute couple. I'll talk to Usa about him, and we'll try to set them up on a date or something… what do you think?"

I frowned. Mamoru would kill me, I know he would. He's very temperamental, especially about setting him up. "Well…Mamoru may not like that."

"But I thought you said he liked her."

"True…"

"So we got nothin' to lose! C'mon, he really needs a girl."

"Alright then… we'll try. But if Mamoru gets mad, I'm blaming you."

She wrapped her arms around my neck. "I'll gladly take the blame. Now go freshen up before our guests arrive!"

I nodded, and left the kitchen.

Well, maybe I won't get sick tonight from the soup. I mean… if it smells alright, it's got to taste fine, too…. right?

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Usagi smiled graciously to the man who opened the apartment complex door for her. "Thank you, sir!"

The elderly man nodded, smiling back. "You're welcome, young lady. Such a pretty thing."

Usagi blushed and walked away, hurrying towards the elevator. She glanced around the foyer, noticing how it had changed since she'd last visited Motoki and Minako. 'It was always a nice place… but since the remodel it just looks fantastic.'

Someone behind her cleared their throat very softly, and Usagi turned her head and saw Mamoru standing behind her, his face slightly red. She thought about it for a moment, but put it aside in her thoughts. 'He probably walked her or something… it is a bit hot out for this time of year.'

"Hello, Mamoru! So glad you're coming too!" She turned around and gave him a dazzling smile. She gave him a once over, appreciatively noticing that when he wasn't wearing the hideous dark green jacket, he had rather nice clothes. He wore dark brown dress pants and a light blue button up shirt, and she noticed that he had recently gotten out of the shower, because his black hair looked slightly damp.

"Well… the tour didn't take as long as I thought it would, so I decided I might as well join you all…" He said, averting his gaze from her eyes.

She smiled. "Well, I'm sure it'll be fun." The elevator doors opened, and she turned to go inside, when she noticed that Mamoru wasn't moving. She gave him a funny look. "Aren't you coming up?"

He blushed. "Um… actually, I think I'll take the stairs."

She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I always take the stairs. The exercise is… nice."

She shrugged. "Suit yourself, hon. Goin' up!" She pressed the button to close the door. Mamoru stood and watched her until the door closed completely.

Usagi shook her head, laughing slightly. "What a strange guy."

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You keep blushing as you watch the doors close, and you find yourself thinking for the umpteenth time about how beautiful Usagi is. The white dress she was wearing makes your skin cover in goose bumps just thinking about it, not to mention the way her slender legs seem to lengthen every time you see her.

You know you gave her a lame excuse as to why you didn't ride the elevator with her, but it was all you could think of. You would never be able to be alone with her in that small a space. You've never felt a strong impulse to kiss any girl until now, and you had to find some way to fight it.

So you take the stairs instead.

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Usagi reached the door to Motoki and Minako's apartment before Mamoru, and she knocked on the door several times before Motoki opened it.

He grinned at her and gave her a peck on the cheek when she walked in. "Hey, Usa-chan. How are you?"

She gave him her white shoulder wrap to hang up, and grinned back. "Good, darlin'. Mamoru's on his way up, by the way. He took the stairs instead."

As if on cue, Mamoru showed up in the doorway. He gave Motoki a nod. "Hey."

Motoki smiled happily and reached over, hugging the black-haired man, whose eyes widened. "Great to see ya, man! Glad ya could come!"

"Er… you're welcome?" Mamoru gave him a funny look and pulled out of his embrace.

They all walked into the dining room, where Minako was placing a large bowl filled with soup in the center of the table.

She looked up and squealed, rushing over and hugging Usagi. "OH, sweetie, you look so great! How's school?"

"Great. Madame Birshoff is letting me help her design a gown for Demi Moore on Oscar night. Of course, she'll do most of everything, but still… it's a huge start!" Usagi's entire face lit up happily.

"That's amazing! Well, let's all sit down and eat while it's hot! Oh, I have to go get the bread out of the oven… well, everyone, don't just stand there, sit! Mamoru, it's great to see you again! Now hurry up, everyone, before it gets cold! I worked hard on this today! I'll be right back!" The blonde girl whisked away into the kitchen.

Everyone stood around dumbly until Usagi finally shrugged and plopped down into a seat.

Motoki took the chair across from her, and Mamoru was about to sit beside him until the blonde man gave his best friend a stern look. Mamoru sighed inaudibly and sat beside Usagi. Motoki grinned to himself.

Usagi peered into the soup bowl and then up at Motoki. "Is it edible?"

Motoki shrugged. "It smells fine."

Mamoru raised an eyebrow. "There's a big difference in taste and… smell."

"Yeah, I know." Motoki cringed. "You try it first, man."

"She's your wife. You eat it first."

"No way. I am way too busy to have food poisoning again."

"And I'm not? I just started interning!"

"Boys, boys! Hush!" Usagi waved her hand in the air. "I'll taste it first." She picked up her bowl and the soup ladle, pouring the vegetable soup into her bowl. She picked up a spoon and rose it to her lips, with Mamoru and Motoki both looking on with eagerness and… fear.

Slurping it down, she licked her lips and dabbed her mouth with a napkin. "It's fine. Needs salt, but otherwise, it's fine."

Motoki let out a breath of air and reached for the ladle. "Great, because I'm starving."

Mamoru grinned. "Now you'll eat it, after you almost sent Usagi to her death?"

Motoki gave him an evil look. "I'm hungry, man."

Mamoru laughed at his friend, shaking his head. Usagi grinned, slurping again at her soup.

Minako rushed back into the room, a basket full of rolls in one hand. She plopped down in her chair beside Motoki and handed the rolls to her husband. "Here, darling, they're fresh from the oven."

Motoki smiled nervously and took one. "Did… did you make these yourself, sweetie?"

"Nope. I bought them this morning at a bakery and heated them tonight. I can't do it all, you know." She shook her head as if her husband was a madman.

"Oh… okay." Motoki bit into the roll happily.

Mamoru rolled his eyes, thinking to himself about the craziness of his friend.

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I'm not going to die! Yippee! Usagi says the soup is safe, and Minako didn't make the rolls! I feel like bursting into tears, I'm so happy!

I chowed down on the rolls, I have to say. I stuffed like five in my mouth at one point. Mamoru kept staring at me like I was insane, and Minako kept going back into the kitchen for more rolls, complaining that I was usually not this hungry.

As I happily ate my rolls and slurped my soup (and I mean slurped) Minako and Usagi chatted about fashion school.

"Does everyone miss me?" My wife asked. She left school after we got married. I've told her to go back anytime she wants, but as of yet, she hasn't.

"Yup." Usagi nodded, taking a bite of a roll. "Madame asks about you all the time. She always liked you best, you know."

"Oh, I do miss it sometimes. But it's just a lot different now. I don't really know if I'll go back. I mean… Moto and I plan to have children."

I choked on the bread, coughing up a storm. Mamoru gave me a grin, while Minako started beating me on the back.

"Darling! Are you okay, honey? Stop eating so fast…" She said, beating and beating…

'Damn it, woman, stop hitting me!' I was dying to scream.

But it's a bit hard to scream when you have chewed up bread lodged in your throat.

Finally, after an entire glass of water, it went down, and I turned to my wife with a stare. "Children, love…? So… so soon?"

Oh, great, I thought, as I watched her entire face turn into a bright smile.

Don't get me wrong. I wanted children.

But not. This. Soon.

"Well, I mean, not yet, of course… but in a few months maybe, or… you know." She gave me on of her innocent smiles… with the batting of the lashes and the twiddling of her fingers.

Damn it. She knows exactly how to get to me.

"Right." I said. "Of course, dear."

Mamoru was staring at me with a wide grin on his face. He knows how easily she can defeat me.

Okay, Mister Wise Guy, let's turn the tables a bit.

I cleared my throat and turned back to the conversation. "Well, yeah… in a few months, perhaps we'll start thinking about that. Speaking of thinking… what about you, Mamoru-kun? Any prospective wives around?"

He gave me a look of pure hatred.

Ah, the look of victory.

"What?" He said.

I grinned. "Well, I mean, you aren't getting any younger, dude."

"I have plenty of time to worry about that, thank you, Motoki." He muttered, staring down at his soup bowl.

I know I should have stopped, but I couldn't help myself. "Ah, come on, man. There has to be at least one girl out there that sparks your interest!"

Evil look again. Oooooh….. he was mad.

Usagi, oblivious of course, piped up into the conversation. "I have a lot of girlfriends that are VERY single, Mamoru." She giggled. "They'd be ecstatic to date a gorgeous guy like you."

Ooooh, now he was furious at me and blushing like mad. This was good.

"Uhh… no thanks, Usagi." He muttered, turning his head away.

Minako, my wonderful, wonderful wife, jumped in at this moment. "Hey, why do you have to set him up with anyone else, Usagi? C'mon, girl, you could have him all to yourself."

BINGO. Usagi goes red. Score One For Minako.

"Wh-wh-what?" Usagi screeched. "Well, I, uh, you see, uh…"

"You aren't dating anyone, Usa, and I know that for a fact!"

Score Two For Minako! C'mon girl, you're on a roll!

"And I personally think that you two look just adorable together. You've been swapping smiles and looks all evening, and don't think that I haven't seen them!"

Score Three For Minako! Almost, almost, so close!

"So how about a double date this weekend? The new Sandra Bullock movie is out, and I've heard that it's really great. We could all go see that and have dinner! C'mon, you know you both want to!"

Oh, how I love the woman. She wants kids? She gets kids! She can have ten if she wants!

….

Okay, so maybe not ten.

But one is good.

Usagi looked out of the corner of her eye, and Mamoru ever so slowly turned his face to glance at Usagi.

"Well… uh…." Usagi stuttered, her pretty face the reddest I'd ever seen on her.

She looked like a tomato.

Mamoru…. now he looked ten times worse. He cleared his throat and looked at the two of us, my dear, dear wife and I. "Motoki, Minako… I'm going to kill you."

Usagi nodded, staring down at her lap. "Me, too."

Now… this next part, I have to say, surprised me. Because I have never seen Mamoru be so bold with a girl. It was great.

"But…" He said. "I'll kill you after I ask Usagi to dinner."

Voila! I accept death happily! Grim reaper, take me to my grave!

Usagi blinked several times, staring at Mamoru in astonishment.

Actually, I have to say that, indeed, we all were staring at him.

Usagi, however, paid no attention to us. "Did you seriously just ask me out?"

Mamoru pursed his lips together and looked down at his soup. "Yup, I think so. Besides, you do owe me for that coffee you forgot about." He looked up shyly, giving her a small smile.

Awww.

Usagi giggled and nodded. "I accept."

Mamoru looked like he was about to pass out. "Really?"

Awww.

Usagi nodded. "Mmhmm. Just don't wear that horrid jacket."

He grinned. "Deal."

Awww. I turned and gave Minako a wink, and she grinned back, giving me a thumbs up.

Of course, the lovebirds didn't notice, because they were too busy starting at each other.

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That night, after we showed Mamoru and Usagi out, I turned to my wife with a daring grin. "Darling…"

She gave me a funny look. "Yes, dear…?"

I swung her up into my arms and twirled her around. "After what you did tonight, I have to say that I have never been more proud of you. C'mon, let's go make those kids you've been wanting!"

She squealed happily, tying her arms around my neck.

Though… I swear, she's only getting one.

One. ONLY ONE.

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End Chapter Three

Okay, reeeeally been switching views a lot. Hope I didn't confuse anybody too much. Lol, and if I did, sorry. It was fun for me, anyways. Hope ya liked. Review, pretty please!


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